Report: US Threatens to Block Weapons Channel to Stop Ukraine's Strikes on Russian Oil Refineries
The Financial Times reports that the US administration is threatening to block a mechanism for buying weapons for Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries. A US official denies such threats were made.
The administration of US President Donald Trump is threatening to block the mechanism used to buy American weapons for Ukraine, in order to force Kyiv to stop striking Russian oil refineries, the Financial Times reports, citing European officials. The strikes are part of a Ukrainian campaign meant to limit Russia's ability to produce fuel and finance its war, so the dispute affects both the course of the war and relations between Washington and Kyiv.
Threats in talks with Europe and Kyiv
According to European officials, US representatives contacted European and Ukrainian counterparts on Saturday and Sunday, trying to get attacks on Russian energy infrastructure stopped. They allegedly threatened to halt intelligence sharing and to block PURL (the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List), through which European partners fund purchases of US weapons for Ukraine. Pavlo Palisa, military adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, was among those called.
The Financial Times and Axios write that Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner pointed to a possible cut-off of intelligence during talks in Miami on 9 October. The source is a Ukrainian official. An unnamed US official denies this, saying Witkoff and Kushner stressed that the US is a reliable partner, but noted that refinery attacks also harm American consumers. Ukraine has not officially confirmed the threats.
Trump's energy truce announcement
On Sunday Trump announced on his social network Truth Social that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to halt attacks on each other's energy infrastructure, giving no details. Zelensky said the news came as a surprise to him, but that Ukraine would agree if Russia also observed the truce. According to the Financial Times, a senior Ukrainian official said strikes on refineries would continue.
On Saturday Trump also said Ukraine should get a new leader who is able to make a deal. In an interview with ABC News, Zelensky claimed Trump pressures Ukraine because he cannot achieve anything with Putin.
Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia
On Saturday morning a Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia with five guided bombs killed at least 20 people, including four children, and injured at least 32. UN data show that 15,280 civilians were killed in Ukraine in the first eight months of this year, 55% more than in 2025.
